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By Elli Papakonstantinou, Ariah Lester, and ODC Ensemble.
Holland Festival 2023 | Photo: Alex Kat
For this virtuoso multilingual performance I crafted the surtitles.

Looking for a Dutch translator in the cultural sector? 

Leverage my extensive experience and skills, developed over more than 30 years.

From your English, German, French, or Italian performance, program notes, book, or article, you will receive a clear and accurate Dutch translation that also does full justice to the original in terms of style, word choice, and rhythm.

This is what I do

I offer

  • flawless Dutch translations
  • from English, German, French, and Italian
  • for the cultural sector.

The cultural field?

My work within the cultural field draws from a strong foundation in:

  • Classical music (Conservatory-trained),
  • Language and literature (University of Utrecht),
  • Philosophy (minor),
  • History and heritage (fueled by both personal passion and hands-on experience).

This wide-ranging knowledge not only anables me to create spot-on translations, it also helps me asdressing little errors or ambiguities, making sure the final translation is clear, precise, and impactful!

 

 

Museum Sloten, highlighting the significance of its location on a major waterway in contributing to the city’s prosperity. In addition to conducting research and securing funding, I was responsible for providing and implementing subtitles for the multimedia displays.

Photo: Margriet Agricola

Text types

I translate all kinds of texts, e.g.

  • books
  • essays, papers and articles
  • sub- or surtitles
  • song lyrics
  • programme notes
  • study guides

Why would you need a specialist

A specialist can address highly specific translation challenges, such as:

  • Understanding subject specific terminology, e.g., knowing that a viola profonda isn’t a 'deep viola' but a distinct instrument for which no Dutch or English equivalent exists.
  • Handling poor source texts, such as scripts lacking punctuation or adapting an outdated playtexts with cuts and additions into surtitles.
  • Recognizing intertextual or historical references, which comes with experience.
  • Working with unfamiliar contexts, like translating Elfriede Jelinek’s works with their Austrian socio-political references.
  • Choosing the right Bible translation as a starting point for translating biblical texts.

Statenbijbel

The Statenbijbel (1637) was the first official Dutch translation of the Bible, commissioned to create a Reformed translation that adhered closely to the original languages, similar to the King James Version (1611).

When translating spiritual music from that period, one might consider using the Statenbijbel, but it's crucial to assess the context. If the text originates from the Catholic tradition, a Protestant Bible would be unsuitable. Even for Protestant texts, it's important to select the appropriate edition, as the Statenbijbel has been revised many times, most recently in 2010.

Photo: Wikipedia Creative Commons

Bonus: an elegant layout 

If you wish, I can format your source text and/or its Dutch translation. In Word, this will result in a well-organized document with a consistent, pleasant layout. Using InDesign, I can provide professional formatting and design enhancements.

If you prefer a plain text file, you will receive just that: an impeccable document, free of unnecessary formatting or copy-paste-residues that could cause problems in a later stage.

No reviews

I don’t ask my clients for formal reviews. Instead, I prefer to let their spontaneous feedback speak for itself.  

Beautiful

'Nothing but praise for the translation. Beautiful Dutch, very legible.'

Scientific staff member of a Dutch historical magazine

Fast

'You work so fast. It's really nice to work with you and we are happy with your work.'

Print & Publish Holland Festival

Thorough

'Margriet, you have done such an incredible job, I am impressed! How wonderfully thorough you are!'

Muse Translations

Moving

'Wow, the translation is so beautiful. I haven't been able to go over everything but it is so moving.'

Compagnie Infrarouge

Clever

'Did I let you know that I think your translation of Agamben is extremely clever?'

Publisher Historische Uitgeverij

Rich language

'The translation is nothing short of magnificent. No trace of English syntax, a rich use of language.

Mail from a reader

Precise

 'What a very beautiful and precise translation you made. It’s a real pleasure to work with you!'

Erik Borgman surtitles

Interesting

'Very interesting to read why you made certain choices.'

Brechtje van Riel, Nederlandse Bachvereniging

The best

‘Thanks Margriet! You are the best translator I’ve been working with so far.’

Belgian producer of children’s theater